In this episode of the Roadtreking RV Lifestyle Podcast we answer one of the most asked questions we get – what are our sleeping arrangements in the RV? We talk about how we set up our RV bed, what we use for bedding and comfort and how and where we store it.

This is a question we get in several variations a couple of times each week so in this episode, we go into great detail. And we’ll share resources on the gear we use for our RV bed.

Also this week, a very interesting interview with Charlie Adcock, the President of the Family Motorcoach Association. Charlie talks candidly about the future of this very influential organization and how to survive, the FMCA needs to reach out to other RVers, specifically those who have towables – travel trailers and fifth wheels. You’ll also want to learn about the FMCA’s Member Assist Program, which offers what I think is the most essential peace of mind an RVer can have if, while traveling, the worst happens – a heart attack, or death or being stranded on the road because of an incapacitating injury or illness.

Also in this episode, as always, RV News, traveling, tech and pet tips and a great off-the-beaten-path report.

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Show Notes for Episode #133 March 29,2017 of Roadtreking - The RV Lifestyle Podcast:

JENNIFER'S TIP OF THE WEEK

Jennifer

When you go on a long trip and leave your sticks and bricks home, one of the worries is that there will be a power outage while you are gone. The nation’s electric grid and infrastructure is in decline and outages happen more and more. [spp-timestamp time="8:30"]

So maybe you get home and see the clocks all blinking – a sure sign of an outage. What you don’t know is how long there was no electricity. Maybe it’s been just a few hours, but also there is a possibility it’s been for days. In this case, the food in your refrigerator have been defrosted and spoiled.

Now if you see that happened – that the frozen food is all squishy soft, the best thing to do is to throw it out right away.

But even if it’s frozen solid when you check, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. That’s because food freezes again when electricity comes back. So you can’t notice it was thawed.

This can be a major threat to your health because the food may spread salmonella and other bacteria.

The food can stay safe without power at least 4 hours, only if the fridge is left unopened. The door of the fridge should be closed as much as possible to keep the cold temperature. The food in the freezer can stay safe without power for 48 hours, but only if it is full. The food is safe in the freezer for 24 hours if it is half-full.

But if it’s re-frozen, how do you know?

Here is a trick you can use to find out how long your freezer was without any power. This way you will discover if your food may be consumed or it spent too much time being warm.

Pour some water into a cup and place it in the freezer. When there is only ice in the cup, place the coin on the top of the cup and put it back into the freezer.

Next time you come back from a long trip, take a look at the coin.

If the coin is still at the top or in the middle of the ice cubes in the cup, there was no electricity, but only for a short period, which is why the water was only partly melted.

In addition, if the coin is at the bottom of the cup, it shows that there was no electricity for a long period, which caused the water to dissolve completely and thus the coin sank to the bottom. If this is the case for your freezer, do not consume the food that is in your freezer.

That’s this week’s tip.

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